


and when you are wise

by acidquill



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Angsty Schmoop, Gen, Mother-Son Relationship, Pre-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-25
Updated: 2012-12-25
Packaged: 2017-11-22 10:55:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/609064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/acidquill/pseuds/acidquill
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stiles has his own version of Halloween.</p>
            </blockquote>





	and when you are wise

**Author's Note:**

> inspiration & last line from [The Cow of No Color](http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/932778.The_Cow_of_No_Color). originally written Nov 26 2012.

When Stiles is eight he dresses up as a cow for Halloween.  
  
It’s the one costume no kid seemed to want. In the store, there is a whole row of full hooks: crinkly plastic wrappers with a cartoonish red barn and ‘Friendly Moo Cow’ printed on the front. Stiles frowns a little because the color isn’t quite right, but this is the only place in town selling costumes that aren’t superheroes or fairy princesses and Stiles doesn’t know how to make something for himself. He looks at each one until he finds his size, then carefully unhooks it from the peg.  
  
He feels grown-up because  his dad let him come down this aisle all by himself and pick out what he wanted all by himself, and trusted Stiles not to make a mess or tear down half the store. (That one time was an accident, really.)  
  
Stiles takes off for the front of the store, only remembering half way that he’s not supposed to run inside. His dad is waiting by the register. Old Mr. Parks is leaning on the counter with his usual cigarette hanging from the corner of his mouth. Stiles wrinkles his nose at the smell. He puts his costume on the counter. His dad picks it up, turns it over in his hands.  
  
“You sure, kiddo?”  
  
Stiles nods.  They pay and Mr. Parks puts a hand on Dad’s shoulder and tells him to call if they need anything. Dad takes Stiles’ hand and lets him carry the bag back to the car.  
  
Once they’re home, Stiles takes his stuff upstairs. He doesn’t run and doesn’t slam his bedroom door. It’s hard because he’s excited, but he’s had lots of practice lately. Stiles keeps getting better at remembering.  
  
He takes the costume out of the package. There’s a jumpsuit that’s spotted black and white, a hat looking thing with ears and little horns, and a red ribbon with a yellow felt bell. Stiles tosses the ribbon on the bed; he doesn’t need that part at all. He takes off his shoes and clothes and puts on the costume over his underwear. It feels a little weird but not bad. The ears are cool; he’d kinda like to wear them all the time. He pulls them low on his head, reaches under his pillow to grab the other thing he needs. Tiptoes down the hall to his parents’ room and pokes his head in the door.  
  
His mom is sitting propped up in bed by a whole stack of pillows. She doesn’t look as tired as she did this morning, but maybe he shouldn‘t bother her. The door creaks; she opens her eyes and smiles at him.  
  
“There’s my boy… Gen, what is that on your head?”  
  
Stiles comes all the way into the room. His mom’s smile gets bigger when she sees what he‘s wearing. Stiles can’t help grinning back at her because she doesn’t smile enough now. That’s why he wanted _this_ costume, _this_ year. It isn’t about trick-or-treating; he’s not actually going. His dad has to work and his mom isn’t up to taking him. But to Stiles none of that matters, he didn’t want the costume for ‘regular’ Halloween. He doesn’t care about Halloween. He just wanted it for her.  
  
And he knew his mom would understand; she’d look at him and know exactly who he was supposed to be and why. She’d _know_ , because this was part of their time - the special Mom and Stiles Time - they don’t have to share with anyone else. His mom is amazing like that. Sometimes Stiles is sure she had superpowers because it was like she could look into his head and see what he meant and what he wanted to say. Even when Stiles had so much trouble getting his ideas out for the rest of the world.  
  
“So that’s what you two were up to so early.” She pats the bed beside her. “Come on, love. I‘ve missed you so much today.”  
  
Stiles - Genim - Gen, because he’s always Gen to her, runs to the bed and crawls over the blankets. He leans his head against her shoulder. It doesn’t hurt as much that her bones are sharp under her skin when she wraps an arm around him and holds out her hand for the book. Stiles hands it over, listens to his mother’s breathing as she opens it and turns to the right page.   
  
“Once among the Ewe people of Ghana there lived a wise woman named Nunyala…”  
  



End file.
